Mark Rivero’s ties to UNLV run deep. He earned his Ed.D. here. He completed a certificate in Human Resource Management here. He has served three years on UNLV’s Adult Learner Advisory Board. His daughter is a student here.
Dr. Rivero’s latest tie? He recently made a donation to support the first-ever scholarship to support veterans pursuing professional continuing education training. During a recent chat with Rivero, he provided insight into why he chose to direct his gift to veterans pursuing continuing education.
Reason 1: The G.I. Bill doesn’t cover continuing education
As part of his role on the Adult Learner Advisory Board, Rivero helped define subgroups of adult learners in Las Vegas; veterans transitioning out of the military and into civilian careers were identified as an area of high need. The G.I. Bill is a huge resource for veteran’s pursuing a degree, but veterans cannot use their benefits for a skill-based certificate program.
Reason 2: He found great professional value in his own continuing education certificate
Even though he had a doctorate in education, as Rivero’s own career progressed, he found that he needed additional training in human resources to help him better manage and train staff. He earned a Human Resource Management certificate through UNLV. Some veterans don’t need to earn a degree to make a career transition; skill-based training helps them transfer military experience into a civilian position or to change career direction entirely. Rivero has dedicated many years to training firefighters, both in Las Vegas and working with the Nation Fire Academy’s subcommittee on accreditation.
Reason 3: He worked closely with veterans throughout his career as a firefighter.
While Rivero isn’t a veteran himself, he worked with many vets during his years at Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. Many vets choose careers in public service after separating from the military, and the scholarship donation was a way for him to show his gratitude for their commitment to their community.
Applications for veteran continuing education scholarships are available through Community2Campus. The scholarship will give preference to veterans who have chosen to complete a professional certificate program and wish to enter the work force in the Las Vegas area. Contact Dr. Liz Baldizan at elizabeth.baldizan@unlv.edu or 702-774-4626. You may also visit http://edoutreach.unlv.edu/community2campus for an application form. Applications for fall funding are due April 11.
The addition of a continuing education scholarship earmarked for veterans is yet another UNLV can thank service members and support their career development. Once again, we thank Dr. Mark Rivero for personally paving a new path to success for veterans at UNLV.
Back in the fall, UNLV was named a military friendly school for the fourth consecutive year by G.I. Jobs, a magazine for military transitioning into civilian life. The designation is based on feedback from student veterans. Military Advanced Education also selected UNLV as a top military-friendly school for 2014.